Vigor, the seriously awesome, recycled, drag racing steampunk dragon sculpture by Etsy artisans Reclaim2Fame.

Just look at that face!

And look at that attention to detail.  Love!

The Year of the Dragon is considered the luckiest of the twelve years in the Chinese zodiac.  Whoever snaps up this amazing little guy will be lucky indeed.

By the way, if the price tag for Vigor has you spitting your coffee out on the screen, take heart.  Reclaim2Fame also makes more affordable sculptures, like this adorable robot dog.

Thanks for visiting!

Rachel

Jacob Ruch has a knack for bringing out both characteristics in his work.  Curbside cast-offs, salvage yard finds, construction refuse – all find a place at Reason Furniture Design, where the proverbial sow’s ear is transformed into… you know.

The company is named for Jacob’s great-uncle, Reason Ruch, who was, according to the artist, “extremely independent and self-sufficient, an excellent craftsman who could make wonderful things with very limited resources.”  Jacob strives to make his business emulate those qualities.

“Having limited resources eliminates the option to be wasteful,” he said.  “The inspiration I see in salvaged materials stems from an inherent aversion to waste.  For years in the construction industry, this instinct led me to drag old materials home from job sites.  Urban backyards and basements saw my own limited resources transformed into furnishings for the shabby apartments that I called home.”

What he calls his “first successful design” came in 2005, when he took some scrap wood on hand and combined it with salvaged glass to create a table for his apartment.  Its assembly took place literally in his own backyard.

Materials and inspiration come from the oddest – and most humble – of sources.  One piece, the Windfall Table, was gleaned from a fallen claro walnut tree.

“The termites got to it before the sawyer though,” he recalled.  “It was pretty far gone, but I’m not easily discouraged.  I filled the tunneling with resin and created a curved base to complement the slab’s gentle bend.”

Such adaptability is typical of Jacob’s work.  He has learned to not simply make do with what others throw away, but to do very well.

Most of his material comes from New York City construction salvage.  In his projects he has used reclaimed wood from water towers, floor joists, planking, doors, plywood, and even furniture cast onto the street.  This willingness to experiment has also led to dipping his hand in the “Pandora’s box” of upholstery work.

The artist’s creativity is showcased by three tables pictured on his blog: one fashioned from a found redwood garden gate, a second topped with old formica countertop samples, and a third project where weathered redwood decking was reborn as a set of matching table and benches.

That thoughtful excellence carries through into all his custom work.

“I design simple, honest and useful forms that celebrate often modest materials, and favor natural finishes that need not be protected and preserved in order to endure.  To me, objects that show the wear of good use are often more beautiful than their virgin counterparts.”

And although environmental concern is not spoken aloud on Jacob’s blog, the latter features links to organizations such as the salvage surplus building supplier Build It Green! NYC and San Francisco community resource The Bike Kitchen, both of which are actively working towards bettering life in their home cities.  His philosophy and the sourcing of the materials created by his company proclaim where his heart lies.

Jabob’s work is constantly evolving.  And what does he have in mind for the future?

“While pursuing new forms, whether independently or through collaborative commissions, I continue to arrive at designs worth duplicating,” he asserts.  “Through the production of these ideas, I hope I can keep REASON accessible to the modest folks and lifestyles that inspire my work.”

~ Emerald

It’s a piece of furniture.  It’s a work of art.  So lovely!

But do you describe it?  For that matter, how do you describe much of what Tom Raffield produces in his workshop in Cornwall, England?  The gentleman’s website modestly labels his product “steam bent lighting and furniture,” but there’s more to the story than that.

This is art.

Once upon a time the steam bending of wood was vital to the production of weapons, tools, and water vessels, among other items necessary to daily life.  As technology progressed, the ancient practice was largely abandoned.  With dedication and practice, Mr. Raffield developed his own tools and methods of using steam, which reinvented the traditional process and transformed it into something new.  He can twist and bend wood as freely as other artists draw with pencils.

But let’s talk about his works.  The lighting and furniture is crafted of locally-sourced, sustainably-managed English wood, of which the timber is left either unseasoned, green, or is air-dried (an alternative to the energy-intensive process of kiln drying).  As the main means of production steam bending uses no toxic chemicals, only water, is a low energy method of manufacturing, and produces little waste.

Mr. Raffield takes care to use local manufacturers and suppliers whenever possible, which has the added benefit of directly supporting his community.  Everything from his workshop is handcrafted and meant to last generations.

A variety of timber is utilized.  Oak, ash, sycamore, and walnut are used to varying effects, all of which take full advantage of the beauty of the wood. 

Some of the lighting designs are startling and seemingly chaotic, but then the design draws you in, and you perceive order, purpose, and beauty.

There’s whimsy to the furniture, which swoops and curves and bends in ways that are both unexpected and soothing.  It’s brilliant.

But don’t take my word for it.  Trundle over to Mr. Raffield’s site and look around for yourself.  Have fun!

~ Emerald

The little wooden robot sits there, head cocked, arms outstretched, vacant drilled eyes staring into space.  Its expression is puzzled and innocent.  It looks like it wants a hug.  It’s cute.

Sometimes, in the earnest seriousness of striving to live green, we forget our sense of humor.  Marjolaine Poulin of M Design hasn’t forgotten… and she loves nothing better than to make other people smile, hence the little army of wooden robots marching out of her workshop in El Salvador.

Marjolaine (“Mao”) has taken scrap wood & discarded furniture and raised them both into art.

A native of Quebec, Canada, Mao splits her time between Montreal and El Salvador, always looking for inspiration.  Her introduction to woodworking came in 2004 in Guatemala, where she learned classical bamboo carpentry from a Taiwanese master.  Shortly afterward she began crafting her own designs hoping to promote bamboo’s many advantages as a building material in Central America.

Bamboo, a fast-growing, imminently sustainable crop, grows in diverse climates and after treatment is strong, durable, yet lightweight.  Discoveries of its usefulness and applications continue to expand.

“In the United States and France,” Mao said, “It is possible to get houses made entirely of bamboo, which are earthquake and cyclone-resistant and internationally certified.”

Her own work with the material is on a more modest scale, consisting of beautiful furniture crafted from bamboo and tropical wood.

Mao has recently turned her attention to a problem local to Montreal: unwanted furniture abandoned on the city streets.  As though collecting lost puppies, she rescues the unloved, discarded furniture and gathers it in her workshop, where it waits to be transformed.

“I walk around my workshop and try to mix and match,” she explained.  “To repair or repurpose old things with more old things.  To be able to sell my pieces at a reasonable price, I try to buy as little new material as possible, which means I need to be really creative and reuse as much as possible.”

This pastime blossomed in 2010 with the Scrap Project, an exhibition of Mao-transformed furniture, the second edition of which took place this past August.  The positive feedback from the show’s first run freed her this year to explore new techniques and let herself slip into the creative process.  And what are her plans for 2012?

“My Montréal’s workshop is full of amazing abandoned pieces of furniture and I can’t wait to start working on them next summer,” the artist said.  “I still have a lot of concepts in my head that I haven’t had time to bring to life, so that’s what the Scrap project 2012 will be about: making it real.”

For Mao, new is overrated.

“It makes me so angry to see how much stuff people in the first world are throwing away,” she said.  “It’s unbelievable how much a human can buy and send to the dump every year.  I wanted to do my part and feel better about the issue.”

Despite that anger – or perhaps as a salve upon it – there is a deliberate lightness to her work, which is full of opposites and contradictions, whimsical robots, clean lines next to old textures.  The unexpected often brings a smile, and it is that smile that opens doors in the mind to new ideas, like sustainability.

More information about Scrap Project 2011 is available on Mao’s blog.

~ Emerald

~Henry David Thoreau

"Seconds Count" by Jason Wilbur

In the face of natural disaster, where others see devastation, Joy Feuer – and the many artists & volunteers who work with her – see opportunity for transformation and renewal.  Life is often about new beginnings.  Since 2008 Joy’s non-profit organization, ART From the Ashes, has been helping communities and individuals rebuild from the ashes of their former lives.

The concept for ART From the Ashes came to life autumn of 2007, during one of the most destructive fire seasons in the history of California.  AFTA was created to use the cathartic properties of art as a means of supporting the renewal of lives devastated by wildfire.  Members travel to a disaster site and from it reclaim materials – burnt wood, ruined household goods, architectural elements, anything that inspires – to be transformed into works of art and later sold at an exhibition-auction benefitting the effected community.

Joy Feuer, photo by James Carbone

The process is deeply meaningful for Joy.

“We have seen up close and personal the powerful connection and healing properties that our art programming has on communities in Southern and Central California,” she said.  “In the wake of disaster…watching what occurs to people and places, in that moment, you are there as well.  Its human nature to want to help in any way possible. In the actions of ART from the ashes, we can provide resource and support to communities in need.  Art provides a connection, provokes inspiration and invites hope.  There are no boundaries geographically or creatively.  Our desire is to honor this and expand our mission to help as many people as possible.”

Since its founding, AFTA has held exhibitions on behalf of META (Making Education the Answer), the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Deukmejian Wilderness Park, and the Japan Society Earthquake Relief Fund.

Currently it is involved with local Texas artists, residents, businesses and community organizations in planning art-based fundraising initiatives designed to benefit those affected by the Bastrop County Complex Fire.  (This series of wildfires has destroyed over 34,000 acres of land, 1,649 homes, and claimed two lives.)  The effort involves more than a hundred artists and will include a benefit exhibition to be held March 2012 in Austin, Texas.  Proceeds will be used to aid the community of Bastrop and support the volunteer firefighters which battled the blazes.

The use and re-use of what lies at hand epitomizes the philosophy of sustainability.  In its work AFTA embraces that ideal, not only using reclaimed items for the foundation of art but also using repurposed materials in the creation of each chosen exhibition space.

"Dreamland" by Jennifer Davis

“We seek out reclaimed wood, glass, fabric, corrugated metal, windows and furnishings for design elements so the gallery environment supports the body of works…and also rings true with AFTA’s philosophy of practice (waste not, have more),” said Joy.  “The complimentary energy between art and the environment of the space,  seems to resonate as people usually remain at our exhibitions for hours on end, it seems to beckon interaction.”

As a non-profit the organization has championed opportunities for artists, including media exposure and private & public commission work.  Joy hopes to continue to break new ground in this respect.  She would also like to broaden AFTA’s geographical impact, ideally by enabling additional “chapters” to form as they are needed for community disaster relief.

To learn more, including how to help, please visit the ART From the Ashes website.

~ Emerald

The pairing of artisan ceramics and beautiful textile creations has brought forth the Alabama Chanin Collection for Heath Ceramics.

Like stitches in clay, the patterns quietly emerge from the same soft palette of colors seen in Alabama Chanin textiles.  Both place settings and individual plates and serving bowls are available.  What a pretty table setting that would make!

The perfect marriage, don’t you think?

Thanks for visiting!

Rachel

Crafted in New Orleans by Matthew Holdren – whose gorgeous beds I featured back in May – the Kerlerec Desk is a pitch perfect piece of salvaged wood furniture.

Without hiding the history and character of the wood, Holdren manages to give it new life and new form.  Here, the desk top is made from 100 year old heart pine floorboards, salvaged from an old New Orleans shotgun house.  Imagine the dancing and toe tapping that must have gone in that jazz soaked atmosphere!  I think this desk would be the perfect inspiration for a writer.

I love the rich color of the heart pine coupled with the light green patina of the trim and beadboard drawer fronts.  Oh, and check out those drawer pulls!  You’ll often see them in the attics of old homes (like mine), with electrical wire strung between them.  Yep, those are the knobs from “knob and tube” wiring.  Terrific re-use idea!

Despite being made of salvaged materials, the desk itself is nicely detailed, right down to the contrasting color plugs on the legs.  Lovely!

To see more of Matthew Holdren’s terrific work visit his Etsy shop.

Thanks for visiting!

Rachel

If you are in the SoCal area in November, you couldn’t find a better thing to do than go see The Dunnage Show at Inheritance.  A collaboration of all the members of L.A. Box Collective, the exhibit will showcase what happened to 12 tons of dunnage – headed to the landfill – when this creative group of master woodworkers got hold of it.  Expect amazing pieces of furniture and accessories, if their previous work is anything to go by!

Place:  Inheritance – 8055 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048-4517  ph (323) 658-6756

Date: Opening reception November 3rd, 2011 from 7-10PM

RSVP: BoxCoEvents@gmail.com

At the end of the month, If I can haul at least a carload of stuff away each week, I am going to reward myself with a single purchase.  You’re going to laugh – or at least raise your eyebrows – but bear with me here and I’ll explain.  This is what I want…

Such a beautiful combination of function and aesthetics, don’t you agree?

Still think I’m a little wacky?

Well, here’s the thing.  Along with my “vow” to keep my home filled only with meaningful objects, I have also decided to limit my future purchases to items that have a tangible quality of craftsmanship and innate beauty.  Hence my desire for this simple, perfect little dustpan designed by Masanori Oji, and made by hand in Japan, using traditional techniques.

Created from paper, it is then dyed with Japanese persimmons, which also serve to coat the pan and make it waterproof.

Paired with a traditional, Japanese style handwoven broom, it is the perfect set. I must have it!

If you too are loving the idea of simple, handmade objects and would like to see more like this, you should definitely check out Analogue Life, an amazing online collection of Japanese artisinal handcrafts.

Thanks for visiting!

Rachel

The ancient Greek poets were said to be inspired by the Muses, nine goddesses who were the source of all art.

Visitors to the whyrHymer Store in Los Angeles may well believe that a tenth Muse is informing Brandon & Sundeep Morrison on their own creations.  The couple & their work have been featured in California Home & Design and California Homes.  The style of their lighting & furniture is solid yet elegant, evoking the philosophy of the early 20^th century Arts & Crafts movement yet speaking in its own distinct, thoroughly modern voice.

At present the couple hand-craft about forty pieces a year, which work ranges from beds, tables, cabinets, and seating – including a rocking chair that somehow embodies the spirit of a hot rod – to lighting of truly innovative design.

Creativity is essential to the heart of whyrHymer.  The Morrisons are fully involved in all aspects of their business, from conceptual design to marketing, from the ancient act of sanding wood to the employment of software and website design.  They also produce & edit films to promote their work.  Says Brandon, “I love hitting the end of a chisel as much as I love the click of my mouse.”

All furniture is made from eco-friendly hardwoods & finishes, including exotic woods certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.  They also use FSC-certified sheet-goods, Kirei Board, Bamboo, and Wheat Board.  Finishes include low-voc plant based oils & varnishes.  Lampshades are variously made from recycled aluminum or glass, linen, rice paper, shoji material, hemp, silk, or from a translucent wood veneer gleaned from sustainable sources.  The furniture is built to last generations, lovingly hand-crafted with mortise & tenon, dovetail, and dowel reinforced joinery.

As they feel themselves blessed, the Morrisons strive to “give back” not only by observing a green building philosophy but also by donating a portion of each sale price to a charitable organization.  Clients are asked to match this gift.

“Being creative for us is about how much we can leave behind,” said Brandon.  “My wife and I have no formal training in furniture design or construction.  We have learned what you see by making mistakes and moving on.”

The Morrisons’ business, like their lives, is a testament to innovation and what can accomplished when life is lived with passion & gratitude.  When he first moved to Los Angeles, Brandon had little idea of what waited for him.  Yet, by being open to change and mindful of opportunity, his present life took form: a family, a business that allows the fullest expression of his creativity, and work (one could say “art”) that brings pleasure to others.  The latter has a spirit that matches its maker.

“The ‘things’ I sell are not necessities for sure,” he said.  “But what I try to bring to my work is an awareness of self that transcends my actual work and what that provides to my clients.  I hope that my awareness that has come from pursuing the non standard life will inspire someone else, or at best, have them feel that they are supporting someone who has their best interest at heart.”

ATOMIK MADNESS from Brandon Morrison on Vimeo.

The whyrHymer Store is located on 138 N. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, CA  90036.  (Hours Mon-Sat 10-5.)    It can be seen on their website.    Brandon & Sundeep may be reached by phone at 323-402-0250 (home/shop)  323-964-9900 (store).